Static, Dynamic And Ballistic Stretching

In this article I’ll tell you about Static, Dynamic And Ballistic Stretching. Let’s examine the 3 types of stretching found in the wild. And you thought you just swing your arms and legs like an epileptic octopus? Sorry to disappoint you, stretching is a science of its own!

As you gain muscle mass, it comes tense and lazy. Unless you do some stretching, you might lose flexibility and find it hard scratching some itch-prone places, like the dreaded back-itch. *shudders*

Passive / Static Stretching

The most common species. You basically stretch a muscle to its limit with the help of an external force and hold it in that position for a prolonged time-span of about 10 seconds. Can be done in sets like an exercise, each set consisting of 1 long stretch. Do not stretch to a point where you feel pain, the sensation needs to be of a good moderate stretch. The pain threshold is personal to every individual’s current state, so adjust accordingly, listen to the heart of the cards.

These stretches incorporate an external force to force the muscle beyond its natural range of motion, such as a wall, a pole, or a partner / trainer. Passive stretching can actually cause injury and decrease strength, according to scientific researches.
Not recommended.

Dynamic Stretching

You move your muscles through their full range of motion, not beyond. Controlled movements are practiced without exponential acceleration. You may start on 1st gear, doing a few full-length movements with a muscle group, then shift to 2nd gear and do it again and so forth. This is the recommended form of stretching, as it is natural for your body — it doesn’t involve external forces that bring your limbs to unnatural positions.
An example would be moving your arms back and forth, while gradually increasing speed and reach.
Recommended.

Ballistic Stretching / Epileptic Octopus

Relate much? I know you do. Incorporates extreme swinging of body parts to an extent beyond natural movement range. Like dynamic stretching, only beyond the limits and at much higher intensities, often exponential. Not recommended, as it can actually do more harm than good. Imagine a giant from beyond the Wall grasping you in his arm and violently shaking, not much fun is it? That’s what your muscles experience.